Celebrating the Fourth of July with Your Aging Parent

Caregiver in Keyport NJ

Nothing says summer quite like the Fourth of July and as your family is gearing up to enjoy all of the patriotic fun and excitement that this holiday brings, it is important that you do not forget about your caregiver role. Your aging loved one may not be able to participate in many of the activities that you once did as a family, but that does not mean that you cannot have a Fourth that is meaningful, memorable, and fun for all of the different generations of your family.

 

Try some of these ideas for making the Fourth of July a day of multigenerational fun:

• Design patriotic shirts. Tie dying is an old summer camp standby and you can take advantage of this simple, inexpensive activity to encourage your parent and your children to spend time together. This will give all of them an emotional boost and help your parent feel more involved and relevant to your family. Simply purchase plain white cotton t-shirts and red, white, and blue dye at the craft store. Twist, scrunch, and fold the shirts however you desire and then dip them in the dye to create unique patriotic shirts perfect for your cookout or for a trip to see the fireworks.
• Make your own fireworks. The festive blasts of light in the sky are an important part of most Fourth of July celebrations, but they can be stressful for your aging parent. Encourage them to still have fun with these colorful bursts and make memories with their grandchildren by making their own fireworks. Fold pieces of construction paper in half, open them up, then use a bottle of school glue to make a dot of glue in the center of the folds. Draw lines of glue coming out of the dot on one side of the paper, alternating a long line and a short line. When finished, carefully fold the paper in half again and apply light pressure. When you open the paper the design will have transferred. Sprinkle with red, white, and blue glitter to create your own firework.
• Indulge in homemade bomb pops. Continue the theme by encouraging your parent and children to make homemade bomb pops together. These are just as adorable as the originals, but because they are made with real fruit they are far more delicious and packed with nutrition.

 

What You Will Need

• 1 cup of sliced strawberries
• 3 tablespoons of lemonade
• 3 tablespoons of simple syrup (water and sugar dissolved)
• 6 ounces of vanilla creamy yogurt
• 1/2 of a cup of blueberries
• 1/2 of a cup and 3 tablespoons of limeade
• A blender
• Popsicle molds
• Popsicle sticks
• Aluminum foil

 

What to Do

• Use the sharp knife to slice the strawberries if needed and add them to the blender
• Add 3 tablespoons of lemonade to the blender
• Add 1 tablespoon of simple sugar to the blender
• Blend until well smoothed out
• Distribute the red ingredients between the popsicle molds
• Add the popsicle sticks to the molds
• Cover the molds with aluminum foil to hold the sticks in their places
• Add to the freezer
• Freeze until they have firmed up
• Stir the yogurt and 3 tablespoons of limeade together in a small bowl
• Remove the molds from the freezer
• Add the yogurt mix to the molds
• Replace the foil and return to the freezer
• Freeze until firmed
• Add the blueberries to the blender
• Add the 1/2 cup of lemonade to the blender
• Add 2 teaspoons of simple syrup to the blender
• Blend until well mixed and firm
• Remove the molds from the freezer
• Add the blue ingredients to the molds
• Replace the foil and return to the freezer
• Freeze until firm enough to eat

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Keyport, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Lares Home Care 1-800-781-7435 or 732-566-1112.